Basel (ots) - MCH Group, one of the world's leading live marketing companies headquartered in Basel/Switzerland, is launching a new global exhibition format: Grand Basel, the first global salon for the world's most important and valuable automobiles of the past, present and future. For the first time, cars will be set and presented in the cultural context of design, architecture and art. Following its premiere in Basel in September 2018, further events have been planned for Miami and Hong Kong. Grand Basel addresses international connoisseurs, experts and collectors with the highest standards, as well as a general audience interested in automobile aesthetics, technological sophistication, arts and culture.

At today's avant premiere and media presentation of the Grand Basel concept at Messe Basel, renowned international representatives of the world of automobiles elucidated the Grand Basel concept based on four exceptional designs, some of which have never before been shown to the public:

Giorgetto Giugiaro, 'Car Designer of the Century', brought his legendary 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo to Basel. Andrea Zagato announced a tribute to the legendary brand IsoRivolta: The Zagato IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo concept, featured as a drivable vehicle in the Sony Playstation video game series, Gran Turismo Sport, will be revealed in October 2017 and aims to be one of the highlights of Grand Basel 2018. Designer Rem D. Koolhaas showed a new Lo Res car for his fashion brand, United Nude, for which he abstracted the polygonal design of a Lamborghini Countach into the most minimalist wedge shape. This masterpiece was also displayed for the first time at the avant premiere of Grand Basel. As the favorite brand of LeCorbusier, whose patron Gabriel Voisin provided the inspiration for the Swiss architect's radical design ideas for a car-centered urban redevelopment of Paris, the 1935 Avions Voisin C25 Aérodyne is a perfect manifestation of the multitude of correlations between architecture, the car and urban development. Prof. Paolo Tumminelli, director of the Goodbrands Institute, author and professor of Cultural Sciences at Cologne University of Applied Sciences, who created the cultural concept, will head the advisory board of Grand Basel. He also served as the MC of the avant premiere.

Grand Basel will present exceptional automobiles in an exceptional setting: Berlin-based design agency BlueScope has developed the uniform architectural concept in a distinctly contemporary design language. A bold deviation from the often nostalgic ambience of established car events, the design allows for the high-quality presentation and admiration of the exhibits in a surrounding reminiscent of modern museums.

Exhibitors can book presentation modules for up to seven showcases. The Grand Basel exhibition format draws on the trade fair architecture introduced by Herzog and de Meuron, with a Grand Parcours as the centerpiece for driving presentations and auctions surrounding the iconic atrium of Hall 1.

Exhibitors can also make use of an extraordinary service: Besides taking care of the exhibition stand setup, Grand Basel offers a one-stop solution for handling other aspects of event preparation, including transport and customs procedures. Prices for exhibitors will be comparable to those of international car events. In addition to the public days, Grand Basel will be open to select guests on exclusive preview days.

"Grand Basel will offer an entirely new perspective on the automobile," comments René Kamm, Chief Executive Officer of MCH Group. "The distinctly contemporary exhibition concept presents and discusses present and future automobiles within a sophisticated cultural context. With the architecture, support program and new types of digital applications, we want to convey the aesthetics and significance of the showcases on a fascinating quality level. The experiences of MCH Group as the organizer and host of Art Basel and Baselworld with their valuable exhibits and discerning, well-informed visitors have had a significant influence on the Grand Basel concept."

Mark Backé, Managing Director of Grand Basel adds: "We are proud to have secured the support of some key representatives of the automobile world for Grand Basel. Over the next few months, Paolo Tumminelli will put together the advisory board, which will be working completely independently and ensure the event's supreme quality. In early 2018, we will present the concept at further locations worldwide and announce additional details."

MCH Group and Live Marketing Solutions

MCH Group is a globally leading live marketing company with a comprehensive services network spanning the entire exhibition and event market. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the Group includes exhibition companies in Basel, Zurich and Lausanne. It organizes and hosts about 90 exhibitions, including the globally leading Art Basel shows in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong, as well as the watch and jewelry show Baselworld. MCH's companies in the segment of live marketing solutions offer customized marketing solutions in the areas of strategy and concept design, marketing consulting, event management, exhibition and event construction, and multi-media solutions. All Group companies are active internationally, with various locations in Switzerland, Germany and the United States, as well as offices in Shanghai, Dubai and Astana.